Who would have thought that when Paul Lambert was sacked in mid-February that we would stay up and be in the FA Cup final? Well this Saturday we face Arsenal in our first FA Cup final since 2000 and our last Cup final since 2010. If we emerge victors on Saturday it will be our first trophy in 19 years since the 1996 League Cup and our first FA Cup trophy in 58 years.
The team standing in the way of that record being broken is Arsenal. Last season’s FA Cup winners in a dramatic win over Hull will be looking to retain the trophy once more. They are the record winners of the trophy along with Manchester United with 11 wins a piece. After another season of not being in the title race and getting knocked out in the early stages in the Champions League again has meant that the FA cup is the only means of silverware once again for Arsenal this season and they will be doing all in their power to make sure that the 2014/2015 season is not their 9th trophy less season out of the past 10 seasons. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has won the FA Cup 5 times in his spell in charge of Arsenal.
The team news for Arsenal this weekend is that Oliver Giroud is likely to return upfront despite Theo Walcott scoring a hat trick last week against West Brom. Fellow striker Danny Welbeck will miss the final with a knee injury he sustained in training, but Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Debuchy and England midfielder Alex Oxlade Chamberlain are in all contention to start after recovering from injuries. Main man Alexis Sanchez is likely to be the one that could cause the main damage to Villa if he’s allowed to run the show.
What a rollercoaster this season has been and there surely is no better way to end it than with our first chance of silverware since 1996. The FA Cup has long been a part of Villa’s wonderful history, in fact we are the 4th most successful team in terms of FA Cup wins in the entire country. However, it is a trophy that has long eluded our grasp since 1957 and the last time we had the chance to win it, we put in an atrocious performance against Chelsea in the last Cup final at the old Wembley. Tim Sherwood will want to ensure that this Saturday his team banish the memory of the past 5 Premier League seasons and put in a performance that is deserving of the shirt and fans that have long suffered in recent times.
The team news for Villa this weekend is that Shay Given is likely to be fit after recovering from a groin strain suffered in training, with Brad Guzan ready to deputise if he isn’t. Aly Cissokho, Kieran Richardson and Jores Okore have all trained are in contention for at least a place on the bench. Benteke will start upfront with Grealish and one of N’Zogbia and Gabby supporting him in attack. The tried and tested midfield trio of Delph, Cleverley and Westwood will all start and they will all need to put in a performance similar to that of the semi final against Liverpool if we are to have a chance against one of the best midfields in the league. However, academy graduate Ciaran Clark is definitely ruled out due to injury.
Now is the time deliver, Benteke, Delph and Grealish need to have the game of their lives in order to make sure the FA Cup returns to Birmingham and who is to say they won’t? Come on Villa!
FA CUP FINAL STATS:
- The last 2 FA Cup finals that Arsenal have won have either come in Extra Time or penalties.
- In the last 3 non FA Cup finals Arsenal have lost they have done so in 90 minutes.
- This is the first time that these 2 teams have met in the FA Cup final.
- This is Arsenal 19th FA Cup final, more than any other team.
- Arsenal will be looking to retain the FA Cup for the second time under Arsene Wenger’s management having previously done so in the 01-02 and 02-03.
